RVER
PORTLA
Volumn XXI, Number 36
September 4,1991
"The Eyes and Ears o f The Community"
Parents Face School Daze, Part 1
by Professor McKinley Burt
A d d P reach in g to
R ead in g , W ritin g an d
R a p p in g b y
M cK inley B urt
PAGE 2
A ctivist to C on v en e
E m ergency
C on feren ce on Black
In d e p e n d e n t P olitics
b y R on D a n ie ls
PAGE 2
In L oving M em o ry
Jessie M ae V arner
an d G en ev a W arren
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It's In T h e M ix
b y M attie A n n
S pears
I he local education scene is infinitely more important to Portland parents
I than those news reports from Russia of Batman facing up to Robin (Gor
I bachev vs Yeltzin). But will they, and the community, face up to the fact
I
PAGE 4
besiege us again?
We expected some shocks, with the economy down and all; the state’s main
industry, lumber, at the mercy o f that Spotted Owl — with a corresponding cut in
education funds that come from timber cuts. And, certainly, the media has kept
us well aware that the fallout from Proposition 5 produces a new cutback in
educational services each week. But how many are aware of a corresponding
attrition in vital services (and commitment) related to Portland Public School s
nationally acclaimed multicultural program that was said to be the best in the
O p e n in g th e D oors
of th e C h u rch
b y M ich ael L in d sey
PAGE 4
C an M en R eally
C hange?
b y U lly sses T ucker
PAGE 5
S urv ey G ets th e
Scoop on P o rtla n d
Ice C ream T ren d s
O reg o n C a m p aig n to
E nd C h ild h o o d
H u n g e r to G et B oost
F rom Texaco
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w
INDEX
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country?
As a consultant and participant from its inception, I have an experience-
based perception that the detractors o f the Baseline Essays and other forward-
looking models for the motivation and self-image of minority students are
clapping their hands in glee. Why? Because under cover of the fiscal constraints
cited above, the operational structures of many such beneficial programs have
been gutted or modified just as surely as has the communist apparatus in Russia
- but hardly with the same altruistic intent.
Any observer at the district’s recent * ‘budget adjustment conference could
see the pendulum swinging in a new/old direction. But it would have required a
degree of familiarity with the system to determ ine exactly how these decisions
would play out down in the “ trenches.” Now, in this first month of school, we
may view and assess the ramifications of this NEW ORDER. Things have not
been perfect but the new look may spell catastrophe.
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that some basic problems in the “ learning gam e” have come full circle to
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First, let us take a look at the “ Integration Services Specialists,” the cadre
of multicultural personnel assigned to schools around the district for on-site im
plementation. These specialists have been absolutely essential to an effective
liaison between students, teachers/administration and parent. It has been their
dedication and yeoman work (far beyond an 8 hr. day) that has bolstered
attendance, reduced dropouts, resolved conflicts and conducted year-around
motivation and image-building sessions. The results have been exactly what the
district has built its boastful statistics on. But w hat do we find happening now?
Those “ fruitful” budget sessions saw their jobs first cut out entirely and,
then restored to half time! And how will their “ non-advocacy” hours be spent?
A number will become DRUG AND ALCOHOL SPECIALISTS! Sinceoverthe
years 1 (and many others) have been enabled by this personnel to come into
classrooms and auditoriums to interface with students and teachers in a very
effective manner — as successful role models and bringing historical and contem
porary information for motivation — we especially deplore such a short-sighted
dislocation of the multicultural process.
But there are more “ glitches’ ’ in the system facing the parents and commu
nity this year. We will mention several, but will have to explore them more in
depth next week. The ‘ * D-MAC” (desegregation monitoring) Committee has its
budget reduced and has lost its secretary. In other w ords, the watchdog has been
muzzled. There is still a vast underutilization o f qualified African-American
math and science teachers who arc assigned to hall-tim e classroom service at
b est-w hile white professionals, new to the system are brought in from outside.
I wonder what the local district is going to tell the “ M ilwaukee System ” now.
I will hear because I have two former students teaching there who are running a
“ technology-motivation program ” I designed. See you next week.
Ron Fields Receives Police Hall of Fame Award
Lt. Ron Fields o f Empire Security
Service received an award of merit
from the American Police Hall o f Fame
W ednesday, August 14. The ceremony
was held at the State o f Oregon Human
Resources Building to recognize Lt.
Field’s work in handling a disturbed
and suicidal youth June 21 at the build
ing.
The American Police Hall o f Fame
is a national memorial to law enforce
ment officers established by the Na
tional Association of Chiefs o f Police
“ to recognize service and valor above
and beyond the call o f duty.”
Capt. Charles Moose, commander
o f the Pordand Police Bureau North
Precinct, presented the award to Fields.
Fields is the Site Supervisor at the
State of Oregon Human Resources
Building for Empire Security Service,
a division of Coast Industries, Inc. Coast
Industries is a diversified services cor-
poration serving security and building
maintenance needs for government and
commercial clients throughout the
W estern United States.
Adoption and Foster
Care Summit to
Educate the
Community
“ Preserving the African A m eri
can Family through Adoption and Fos
ter C are” is the theme and focus o f an
informational summit to be held on
Friday and Saturday, Septem ber 13 and
14 at the Cascade Campus o f Portland
Community College. The summit is
sponsored by One Church, One Child
o f Oregon and W ashington states and
will feature Father George Clements as
a guest speaker. Father Clements founded
the One Church, One C hdd program in
Chicago in 1980.
The reception on the night o f the
13th (6:30-9:00) will feature entertain
ment by Nyewusi Askari and Company
which will include African American
voices and drummers, poetry, and por
trayal o f historical characters The
sum m it will take place on the 14th
from 8am to 5pm; a box lunch will be
provided.
The sum m it will address the issues
o f African American children in the
perm anent planning system o f the state.
Some o f the topics to be discussed:
drug-affected infants, extended family,
advocacy for children, culturally com
pentent adoption services, and foster
care needs and recruitment.
Objectives o f Summit
* To provide information on the
issues facing African American chil
dren in the permanent planning proc
ess.
*To provide an opportunity for
public and private agencies, childcare
providers, parents, organizations and
others to purposely plan for the future
o f African American children in the
permanent planning system o f the state.
*To provide information on legis
lation needed for the priority place
ment of children o f color and the legis
lative process.
*To make deliberate plans for the
process o f finding extended families as
resources.
*To make available the ready re
sources o f One Church, One Child of
Oregon and W ashington States.
*To use the information for na
tional distribution through the National
One Church, One Child program.
Program objective: “ to promote
the adoption of primarily homeless
African American children by provid
ing educational services and other in
struction relative to the problem to
adoption.”
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